Rangayana plans museum on theatre

Mysore: If Rangayana has its way, the cultural hub could have a museum mapping the growth of Kannada theatre and opening a window to it. The theatre repertory, in its mission to set up the museum taking the artifacts collected by doyen of Kannada theatre B V Karanth, has approached the government for funds. After getting a positive response, it has now written to B V Karanth Trust to hand over the artifacts. The plan is to set up the museum by year-end so that the repertory has the facility in place by January 14, 2013, when it will turn 25. "Our idea is to complete the project, so that we celebrate the silver jubilee meaningfully," Rangayana director B V Rajaram said on Friday. "The government has said that it will fund the project," he said, adding that they have plans to set up a national theatre museum too. There is no such facility in India, and being the pioneer of theatre movement in India, Rangayana is aiming to take the lead. "There is a saying that 'theatre dies every night'. Unlike other means of art, theatre is not documented, which is a serious lacuna. We've to conserve theatre so that it is carried forward to the next generation," he told reporters. To commemorate the silver jubilee celebrations of Rangayana, the government is instituting an award in the name of Karanth, which will be presented in January. The government will form a panel to select the awardee.

THEATRE FEST FROM TODAY

Rangayana, in honour of its founder-director B V Karanth, is hosting a five-day theatre festival from Saturday. Three plays directed by the legendary theatre personality, including critically acclaimed 'Kindara Jogi' will be staged during the festival. It will be taken to Bangalore's Ravindra Kalakshetra on October 11 and 12. "It is a decade since Karanth died on September 1, 2002. We are hosting the festival in his memory," Rajaram added. There will be an interaction with Kannada writer Vaidehi on Sunday at 12.30pm followed by screening of a documentary on him produced by P N Ramachandra at 2.30pm. He will later interact with the audience.